Tipping Culture in Europe...

[JamesB]

I frequently travel to Europe and Latin America, particularly Spain, Switzerland, and Panama. I must admit, the tipping culture in the US is rather distinct. We're accustomed to tipping for almost everything. Frankly, I think tipping has become excessive in the US. It's amusing to observe individuals taking this culture abroad and then lamenting about encountering "Gringo prices" or "Gringo Tax." When traveling, it's best to engage with locals; they can provide insights into what is considered appropriate tipping etiquette.

[Marc in Calif]

2 hours ago, KeepItReal said:

If you offer politely, they can accept/reject politely.  A polite decline has happened to me, no one has ever thrown a bill back at me. But there are douchebags everywhere so there is that. See chart below as of 2023. 

This and related global tipping charts can be found at the following link. You can zoom them to read all the numbers and other data.:
 

Mapped: How Much Should You Tip In Each Country?

WWW.VISUALCAPITALIST.COM

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How much should you tip in each country for a restaurant, or a hotel? These maps show average tips in restaurants, hotels, and taxis.

 

Edited March 28 by Marc in Calif

[newdad]

7 hours ago, JamesB said:

I frequently travel to Europe and Latin America, particularly Spain, Switzerland, and Panama. I must admit, the tipping culture in the US is rather distinct. We're accustomed to tipping for almost everything. Frankly, I think tipping has become excessive in the US. It's amusing to observe individuals taking this culture abroad and then lamenting about encountering "Gringo prices" or "Gringo Tax." When traveling, it's best to engage with locals; they can provide insights into what is considered appropriate tipping etiquette.

as the old saying goes: "When in Rome..."

[mike carey]

It's hard to shake the habits of a lifetime, whether that is tipping or not. If you think about it too much, either way, it can be anxiety inducing. I know the lay of the land, and am aware of it in the moment in restaurants in the US, but in hotels for the most part it occurs to me that I 'should' have tipped in a hotel at about the time I check into the next hotel. Now you can see why!

[pubic_assistance]

13 hours ago, KeepItReal said:

 See chart below as of 2023. 

Thanks for this. I have traveled a great deal for many years...but I am sure to learn a few things with this.

[+ APPLE1]

After reading the forum, I was curious about the "why's" of tipping being unappreciated / offensive / rejected in certain places.

When I asked my Aunt, her response was that most Chinese people see it as a form of pity or charity. Like they are viewed as someone who can't take care of themselves and their family. And she added that there is a special level of cultural insult to be tipped by a westerner in China.

@Italiano I am assuming you are Italian. Can you shed light on why Italian business owners are opposed to being tipped?

Edited April 3 by APPLE1
Spelling

[+ Italiano]

4 hours ago, APPLE1 said:

After reading the forum, I was curious about the "why's" of tipping being unappreciated / offensive / rejected in certain places.

When I asked my Aunt, her response was that most Chinese people see it as a form of pity or charity. Like they are viewed as someone who can't take care of themselves and their family. And she added that there is a special level of cultural insult to be tipped by a westerner in China.

@Italiano I am assuming you are Italian. Can you shed light on why Italian business owners are opposed to being tipped?

Well yes, my username exposes me 😃

I think it's for a reason of "pride"? Not sure, I never owned a business there haha. But it's definitely a cultural thing, I guess business owners see it as slightly offensive...

Workers (waiters, the person who washes yr hair in a salon, etc) are usually  tipped, but definitely less than here in the US in percentage

Waiters are paid decently there, they have a monthly salary and not a hourly one, but at restaurants you pay a per person small amount (coperto e servizio)  which partially goes towards the tip for the waiters. Anyway you almost always leave a little tip after the bill for who served you. 

Anyway it would never happen like in the US where if you don't tip you are chased by the owner of the restaurants!

[Monarchy79]

Tipping isn’t exactly “mandatory” in the US. 
It’s a “pressured norm” in the US. 

[+ Italiano]

22 minutes ago, Monarchy79 said:

Tipping isn’t exactly “mandatory” in the US. 
It’s a “pressured norm” in the US. 

It's not mandatory of course, but try not to tip, and I don't mean when you are totally dissatisfied with the service...

[+ Italiano]

Years ago for a while I had to deal with groups of Italians coming to NYC. They were mostly astonished and could not believe that at restaurants on top of the cheque that "had to" leave 15-20% of the amount as tip.

[newdad]

8 hours ago, Monarchy79 said:

Tipping isn’t exactly “mandatory” in the US. 
It’s a “pressured norm” in the US. 

This is what I read on the internet, but am hoping someone can corroborate: "US law says if a server’s wage and tips don’t equal minimum wage, the employer must pay the difference. They only make that wage if wage plus tips meets or exceeds minimum wage."

[+ Vegas_Millennial]

4 hours ago, newdad said:

This is what I read on the internet, but am hoping someone can corroborate: "US law says if a server’s wage and tips don’t equal minimum wage, the employer must pay the difference. They only make that wage if wage plus tips meets or exceeds minimum wage."

That law applies to employers, not to customers.  It allows employers to pay its employees about 1/3 of the required national minimum wage, provided the employee's tips make up the difference to equal the full minimum wage.  If it is a "slow night" and the employee receives less tips, then the employer must make up the difference in pay to the employee for the hours worked.

But that law is a minimum, and many states and cities require the employer to pay much more than the national minimum wage.  In Las Vegas (state of Nevada), for example, all employees must be paid the full minimum wage, regardless if they earn tips or not.  Any and all tips provided by the customer to an employee are in addition to the wage.  The employer does not have to pay the employee extra on a "slow night".

Edited April 3 by Vegas_Millennial

[Jeff Meuller]

When travelling in Australia, my Australian friends would insist that we do not tip in restaurants. Part of this is the real fear that American tipping culture would take hold locally. American's I know typically protest and don't feel they are doing any wrong and part of the tipping process is to make themselves feel good/generous even in places where it really isn't expected. When I have have interacted with locals in Italy, Germany and Spain, they really aren't tipping that much, just a little round up sometimes if you are eating outside of tourist areas that are not frequented by Americans. I usually spy the checks at tables of locals next to us and usually confirm there isn't much tipping (a Euro here and there). And in places like France, some nicer places will say on the bottom of the menu "Service compris" and no tip is expected. 

I find it interesting that so many online "guides" are written by self serving people in the industry who may upcharge what tip is expected. That's why you are seeing American "guides" saying the correct tip at restaurants these days is 20-25% when the average is closer to 18% Tipping average USA Today. Another source at the Motley Fool says the average American tips 15%.

It's a little harder to ask local clients of European providers if they tip (except maybe in this forum) but I suspect that since tipping culture hasn't really penetrated in most aspects of life in European countries (eg hair dressers, delivery, taxis, hotels etc) that it isn't expected in providers either. Of course "it's appreciated", I would be too if someone gave me free money, but the other part of me feels that this is an import of an American custom that ultimately isn't a good thing. My Australian friends say they don't like the custom spreading as it might incentivize employers to pay less since their employees are now getting tipped. Plus we can see the dystopia of tipping culture in the US and want to stop it heading in that direction in our countries. I'm old enough to remember a time that tipping housekeeping in Canadian hotels was not a thing (still isn't in most of Asia). Especially since hotel staff in the big international chain hotels in Canada tend to be unionized with union contracts.